Reading stand



Oct. 5,1926. y 1,602,338

R. B. CHITTENDEN READING STAND Filed May 215Y 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l altozneq Oct. 5,1926.v A

- R. B. CHITTENDEN READING STAND Filed May 25, 1922 2 Sheng-sheet `2 Patented 9ct. 5, 1926.

ROBERT B. CHITTENDEN, or annue FALLS, new Yoan.

READING STAND.

Application filed May Z3,

The object of the invention is to provide areading stand or rack particularly adapted for invalid use in connection with a bed or chair as a means of supporting books, newspapers and tbe like within convenient rang-e of the vision of lthe patient and particularly to provide a device of this type of which the rack proper or supporting member may readily beextended or contracted in area to suit the size of the article which is to be supported thereby while permitting of folding into relatively compact form when not in use; and with this object in view the invention consists in a construction and con bination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view of a stand embodyying the invention with the rack member' thereof in the extended or expanded condition.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the rack member in its contracted or folded condition.

Figures 3 and 4 are sectional views respectively on the planes indicated by the lines 3-3 and 4 -11 of Figure 1.

Figures 5 and 6 are sectional views respectively on the planes indicated by the lines 5 5 and 6-6 of Figure 2. i

The stand consists essentially of a foldable rack member 10 supported from a suitable vbase 11 by a standard 12,-the base preferably being supported for movement with facility over the surface of the floor as for example by being provided with castors 13, and the upright being arranged to rise from one end of the base so that the latter may extend under the chair or bed adjacent to which the stand is being used, to project beneath the rack member and thus prevent the tilting` thereof. The upright or standard preferably is of extensible construction consisting for example of the tubular lower member 111 into 'which fits the rod member 15 held at the desired adjustment by a thumb screw 16. Also the rack member which comprises a main section or element 17 and supplemental sections 18, 19 and 20, is provided at one side of the main sec-tion or element with a pivot pin 21 fitted in a socket 22 in the end of the horizontaly arm 23 of the upright to provide for tilting or arranging the rack member at the desired inclination. The rack member is 1922. serial No. 563,067,

locked in the desired position of a' thumb screw 241. y

rllhe main element or section of the rack member is provided with forwardly directed guides 17at which receive the marginal bars .by means 18a of the supplemental element or sectionl 18 to provide for the lateral sliding of the sidemember 18 into a position substantially in coextending relation with the. main elementor section, and correspondingly the section 2O is provided with guide 20E*L for receiving the-upper marginal bar of the section y19 for relative latera slidingv movement, Aand the main element or section 17 and the ,sec-` tion 18 are further provided with guides 17 and 1.7 to receive the collapsed members 2O and 19, so that the supplemental sections 18,

19 and 2O may be folded into positions in substantial parallelism with the main section 17 asshown in Figure 2, to contract the rack member substantially to the dimensions of the section or element 17 when a book or comparatively small yobject is to be supported thereby. The upper supplemental sections 19 and 2O carry yielding lingers 25 extended obliquely across the face thereof for clamping a paper or like obiect in place on the rack member andv these lingers when the supplemental sections are in the collapsed or folded position occupy a corresponding relation withy the main section or element 17 for a corresponding purpose. The intermediate cross bars 26 and 27 of the sections 19 and 20 are disposed in telescoping relation and are slidingly mounted upon u the side bars of said sections by means of pins 28 engaging slots 29, to permit of the movement thereof to the upperends of the sections 19 and 2O when the latter are slid downwardly in rear of the main section or element 17. For holdingthe upper supplemental sections or elements in their extended positions there is employed a latch 30 mounted upon one of the side bars of the main section or member and having-a pin 31 for engagement with a socket in the corresponding side bar of the section 20. The section 18 is mounted to guide on the section 17 due to the interengaging guide bars 17L and 18,` while the sections 2O and 19 may collapse in parallelism relative to the sections 17 and 18 due to they guides 17b and k17c carried by the sections 17 and 18, as shown clearly in Figures 1, 3, 5 and 6. `When the section 18 is collapsed behind the section 17, the sections 20 and i9 may be moved to closed positions in the guides 1'?" and 17C, in which case the section l!) will move to a position behind the section 20. As previously stated, the bars 2G and 27 telescope, as shown in Figure 3, although the bars are angular in cross section. The pins 28 which are carried by the bar 27 project from the exterior of the bar 27 and are headed in order to be retained in the slots 29 oit the left hand upright bar of the section 20. The pin Q8 which is carried by the bar 26 (which telescopes the bar 2'?) projects from the rear face ol5 the bar 2G at one end thereoi and is headed in ord-er to be retained in the slot 29 oi the leift hand perpendicularl bar or the section 19. Gbviously, when the sections 2O and 19 are collapsed While the section i8 remains extended, if it be desired to use the frame in this manner, the bars 2G and 27 may move upwardly, the pins 28 moving in the slots Q9, The pins 2g assist in retaining all the Sections connected vWhile the forn'ardly 'extending lange of the bar 18a overlies the bar 17 of the section 17 and urther assists in retaining` the sections connected. The guide 2Oa at the top of the section 2O also acts to retain the sections connected, particularly the sections 2O and 19.

Having described the invention, What 'is claimed as new and useful is A device for the purpose indicated comprising a rack member embodying main and supplemental' elements of which the former is provided with guides receiving marginal bars of the latter' to provide for lateral sliding movement of the same in a position substantially in ,coextending rela tion with the main element, both the main and supplemental elements having sections slidably mounted upon them for movement in coextensive relation to extend or reduce the area of the rack member vertically.

ln testimony whereof he aliixes his signature'.

ROBERT B. CHITTENDEN. 

